We have posted about Macklemore and Ryan Lewis before. They are one of the most incredible rapper/producer duos out there today. Macklemore's raps are poetic, heartfelt, honest and extremely deep, while Ryan Lewis's creative beats put the words in a beautiful frame. But they don't just rap about serious issues like cough syrup. They have a lighter side too. Enjoy their newest music video for the infectious "And We Danced".

October 30, 2011

After hearing that one of my favorite up and coming acts Milo Greene, was going on tour with The Civil Wars, one of the best live bands around, I knew I had to see them together. While the venue choice of the auditorium-like Berklee Performance Center was an odd one, the two acts combined to create one of my favorite shows of the year. The opening L.A.-based quintet captivated the unsuspecting crowd with their dense four-part harmonies and their lively instrument-swapping performance. All five members are extremely talented musicians in their own right, and combined, they are greater than the sum of their parts. After a solid 40 minutes of fun, The Civil Wars took the stage.

The voices of Joy Williams and John Paul White make one think that neither of them have hit a wrong note in their lives. Playing through nearly their entire catalog, the duo also put their own twist on The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" to a fantastic result. With the sweetest, most pristine live harmonies I have ever heard and some extremely entertaining stage banter, The Civil Wars ran through their set with a casual grace and relaxed stage presence that is rarely seen these days. The combination of their voices is addicting and I must say I need another dose.

October 27, 2011

Hyundai, in an effort to capture some of the youth market, has sponsored The RE:GENERATION Music Project. This creative form of marketing has paired some of the most popular electronic artists with various "older" musicians in order to create collaborative tracks, with the hopes of stumbling upon a great new style. One of my favorite electronic musicians, Pretty Lights, was paired up with LeAnn Rimes and Dr. Ralph Stanley to create a country track! What came out was quite a pleasant surprise! Check it out!

October 26, 2011

The Black Keys announced recently that they will be releasing a new album, El Camino, on December 6th. Today they released the first single off the record, "Lonely Boy," along with another absolutely hilarious video from the Keys. The single will be released on vinyl with the B-side track "Run Right Back" on Record Store Day, November 25th.

In other Decemberists news, multi-instrumentalist Jenny Conlee announced in May that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Last week, Colin Meloy revealed on their website that her cancer is officially in remission! It seems as if she will be back on the road with the group in no time!

This past weekend, The Bridge School Benefit Concert, put on by Neil Young and his wife for the last 25 years, brought some great artists to Mountain View, CA to play for charity. Among the performers were Arcade Fire, Beck, Eddie Vedder, and Devendra Banhart. The video of Arcade Fire's set is below. About 27 minutes into the video, they perform a great rendition of "Helpless" with Neil Young himself! Enjoy!

October 21, 2011

This was our second time hearing Yellow Ostrich, the threesome headed by Wisconsin native Alex Schaaf. On this occasion, the boys proved yet again that their unique, often sparse sound holds up beautifully to the test of a large, energetic crowd. Schaaf, one of the most innocent, pure personalities I've ever seen hold an electric guitar, was fascinating and captivating. He added to his numerous vocal looping some heavy guitar we hadn't heard before, something that freshened many of the arrangements off their 2010 record, The Mistress. The group was unafraid to showcase some brand new work as well. Here's a sample of a few of the tracks we hope they lay down very soon. All told, I was impressed not only with the increasing creativity and chemistry of the group, but also with the crowd's reaction to the material after just a 40 minute set. If anyone deserves the adoration of the masses, it's these guys.

Following Yellow Ostrich was Ra Ra Riot, the now well-established indie-string-pop darlings. The sextet, complete with cello and violin, immediately stormed the stage with power and energy. I was blown away by their professionalism and musicianship. The sound was crisp and the vocals spot on, and any who may have imagined that the layered string melodies on record would be difficult to replicate live were proven wholly wrong. The set featured material from both their latest record, The Orchard, and the more successful, acclaimed 2008 album The Rhumb Line. It was by no means the most creative of performances, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. They know how to get the crowd jumping, and isn't that really what we all want in life?

October 19, 2011

Last night Bon Iver performed on the BBC show, Later With Jools Holland. Justin Vernon and a mighty huge orchestra played "Towers," one of my personal favorites from his most recent self-titled album. Enjoy!

I honestly never dreamed that a band like Wilco would ever do a Tiny Desk Concert. A mostly acoustic set is not something I've ever seen from this incarnation of the group. Yet here we are. Performing three of my favorite tracks of their new album The Whole Love and an absolute classic from the group's seemingly endless catalogue, the boys knock it out of the park. They prove here they are still some of the most creative musicians of any genre, and can delight in just about any venue. This really is a treat. Check. It. Out.

October 16, 2011

It's been a long time since Ryan Adams released a record. Or at least since he released one that isn't metal. Ashes & Fire, his latest work, has been billed by some as his "return to music." But even one listen in, it's hard to imagine he ever left. The 11 tracks are seamless. They're lyrically introspective and meaningful, yet so easy. Each song is refreshingly simple in instrumentation, with hints of organ and consistently tender piano accompanying Adams' faithful acoustic guitar (plus drums and bass). The album is seemingly over in the blink of an eye, leaving you longing for more and instantly ready to start it over and savor again. I've been a Ryan Adams fan for years. But I have to say it. This is my favorite work of his yet. Buy it now, and savor the "return" of one of music's most gifted artists.

When seeing Langhorne Slim last week, we were pleasantly surprised by the opener, Matrimony. A five-piece from Charlotte, NC, Matrimony is led by singer/keyboardist Ashlee Hardee Brown and her husband, singer/guitarist James (Jimmy) Brown. Making it a true family band, the two lead vocalists are backed by two of Ashlee's brothers on banjo and bass. Their lively show inspired me to pick up their debut CD, The Storm & The Eye, a conscise 6-track collection of exciting folk-rock with great male-female harmonies. They also have a new single available for free on their bandcamp page. Take a listen and enjoy!

October 11, 2011

On November 22nd, Death Cab For Cutie will be releasing an EP of remixes of songs from Codes and Keys. Each week they will be revealing a track from the EP and on the 7th week, the entire collection will be released. Enjoy the first track released, a remix of "Doors Unlocked and Open" by Cut Copy!

The Black Keys, drummer Patrick Carney and guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach, have announced their follow-up to the crittically-acclaimed and Grammy-nominated album Brothers!It will be titled El Camino and will be released on December 6th. We're excited and you should be too!

October 09, 2011

One of the most exciting discoveries I have made in the last few months is the British group Matthew And The Atlas. Playing their own non-American take on Americana, Matthew Hegarty and crew have recorded two exceptional EPs (To The North and Kingdom Of Your Own) and crafted an infectious unique sound. After signing to the awesome British folk label Communion and developing a bit of a following across the pond, they are in the States this fall for an extensive tour (Tour Dates here). Judging by the fact that they recorded one of the best Daytrotter Sessions ever, they are sure to be a great live band. Enjoy!

October 03, 2011

This is almost too much to handle. One of my favorite Bob Dylan tracks, performed live just last week in Portland by none other than Bon Iver. It's a really interesting arrangement (trumpet solos!), the lyrics are already perfect, and Justin Vernon's voice pushes it over the edge. Check it out.

October 01, 2011

Last night we had the pleasure of being able to make it out to The Royale in Boston, MA to witness one of the most exciting shows we have seen in quite some time. After a rousing, fun opening set by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, The Head & The Heart took the stage. The lively sextet ran through their whole small, but powerful and thoroughly entertaining catalog, and also played three very promising new tracks. Their perfect blissful harmonies sounded better than ever and when the band let loose, the audience followed suit. The excited sold out crowd sang along to most of the songs to the pleasant surprise of the band. In only their second time in Boston they have developed a strong and loud fanbase. They accurately summed up their situation in the song "Heaven Go Easy On Me," when they sang with the crowd over and over, "We're well on our way".

My latest discovery comes to us in the form of Wildlife, a poppy quintet from Toronto, Canada. Their debut album, Strike Hard, Young Diamond, available on their Bandcamp page, is full of a fun melange of indie, pop, and punk sounds, with a few synths thrown in for good measure. The group also recently recorded a fun session with Daytrotter that's available for free download! This album is definitely a fun, raucous listen. Check it out and enjoy!